ROCKFORD - Winnebago County's jail intervention programs have helped people spend on average nine fewer days each year behind bars and decreased the number of charges for non-violent crimes by 52 percent, according to a December 2013 report that measures recidivism.

These programs are part of about $2.6 million worth of alternative programs in fiscal year 2013. Other efforts are tied to the Resource Intervention Center, pre-trial programs, drug court and mental health court.

Penny Billman, researcher for REGS Consulting, LLC who prepared the report, said that without the jail alternative programs, people would struggle to stay out of the legal system.

"If someone who is a heroin addict is being brought in to the system for burglary, robberies, for getting things that they can sell for money to address their habit, if we can help break their habit with addiction, then we can help them not need to commit the crime anymore," Billman said.

The study examines data from three years before entering the alternative program and three years after leaving them. This information is compared to people who did not participate.

The programs target non-violent offenders who have a moderate to high risk of reoffending, focusing on individuals who have been charged with assault, forgery, vandalism, prostitution, drug abuse violations, driving under the influence and offenses against family members and children.

Data showed that individuals who participated in the program spent on average nine fewer days incarcerated per year while the comparison group increased its days by 17, the report said. That's a swing of 26 days.

The number of charges for crimes decreased by 52 percent. The comparison group increased its amount of offenses by 13 percent.

Three alternative programs were cut from the Fiscal Year 2014 budget, said Dave Peterson, county chief operating officer. Those include the Literacy Council, which provided academic instruction to inmates who read below an 8th grade level; Lutheran Social Services of Illinois, which allowed incarcerated parents to record themselves reading age-appropriate books for their children; and Family Counseling of Northern Illinois, which offered anger management groups to individuals.

Leaders said these initiatives have been picked up by other groups, so people should not notice a difference in services in FY14.

"We honed in our programming so we're getting more bang for our buck," Christiansen said. "We only have (a set amount of money) to work with, so we have make sure we get the most out of it."